Bus No. 4 will return to service if Tomsk Technical University manages to recruit a driver.
Tomsk mulls over reintroducing trolleybus route No4, but conditions apply
Tomsk city authorities are open to the idea of reinstating the trolleybus route No4, hinging on one condition — the Tram-Trolleybus Management (TTU) shall bolster its driver workforce, revealed Mayor Dmitry Machina during a city council meeting, concerning the administration's activities update on Tuesday.
Previously, it was announced that the city administration had "preserved" trolleybus route No4. The reasoning behind this move—poor profitability and unstable passenger traffic. Known as the "No4," the route ran from the Govorova Street to the Kaštak district via Lenin and Kalinin Prospects, before reaching the Tomsk-1 station.
"As things stand today, the trolleybus route No4 remains on reserve. However, we have a personnel issue with the TTU. The wage increase has somewhat stabilized the situation... Nevertheless, we must revisit the issue of staffing—the training of trolleybus drivers. And if we can solve the personnel issue, there's nothing preventing route No4 from returning to service," said Machina.
"Initially, drivers were moved to the No6A route, which necessitated keeping route No4 in reserve," added Machina.
Previously, it was reported that the TTU was implementing a gradual salary increase plan. As of February 2025, all staff members saw a 8% pay raise, while trolleybus drivers' wages increased by 22%. A planned 15% raise for tram drivers is also in the works.
Although there have been no recent updates on TTU's efforts to recruit and train drivers to restore the route, we strongly suggest keeping a close eye on local news sources or direct communications from the transportation department for more information on this matter.
- The main condition for reintroducing trolleybus route No4 in Tomsk is addressing the personnel issue with the Tram-Trolleybus Management (TTU), as revealed by Mayor Dmitry Machina.
- In the latest city council meeting, Mayor Machina shared that the city administration had "preserved" trolleybus route No4 due to poor profitability and unstable passenger traffic, but a potential solution lies in staffing issues at the TTU.
- As part of their efforts to restore route No4, TTU has been implementing a gradual salary increase plan, with trolleybus drivers experiencing a 22% wage hike as of February 2025.
- Following the staffing improvements made by the TTU, trolleybus route No4 could potentially return to service in the future, but it is crucial to monitor local news sources or communications from the transportation department for updates on this industry matter.
